Monday, January 03, 2011

Man's shirt from the thrift store? No man was going to wear this, it was way too pretty. A crisp cotton with little flowers on it, brand new from Banana Republic.

I kept the button placket intact, cut off the collar and the sleeves, and cut the front and back into sort of an A-line shape. A little self-bias binding around the neckline and armholes, and inverted pleats at the back neck to take in some fullness, and I had a darling big girl smock.

Beautifully clever! And yes, I love thrift stores too and find myself thankful for those who buy new xnd recycle so we have something to browse! And not to mention all those vintage items they so thoughtfully give up! :)

What a wonderful idea! You always have the best projects! I was going to make aprons for my two little granddaughters, but this is a much better idea (and with a husband and three sons, there are a lot of old shirts to go around!)

That is the cutest thing ever - seriously, Anna, you are outdoing yourself! Daisy is ADORABLE! Have you ever read the "Mindy-Molly-Mandy" books with her? MMM keeps talking about her "frocks". That is what Daisy reminds me of, a sweet little old-fashioned girl in a frock.

We have some great thrift stores where I live, too. I have two older teenage girls who love the "name" brands. Last week they picked up an Ann Taylor Loft shirt from last season (we had seen it at the store in the spring) and a new Vineyard Vines tote for less than $3.00 total. I don't sew as much as you do, but I do occasionally modify a skirt length, etc. for them. Did I mention the men's ties for $2.00 each? My husband now has a plethora of ties. We live in an urban area, and the "metrosexual" young men around here seem to be always cleaning out their stashes of ties. Consequently, I always find at least two great all-silk, imported ties when I go thrift shopping. DH wears a suit and tie everyday so he puts them to good use and he likes the luxury of having several to choose from. What a blessing.

What an amazing idea! I, too, love thrift stores...we have a great one locally and it sparks some of my best "creativity"! Thanks so much for sharing this...never again will I pass by a "pretty" man's dress shirt!

I like this idea; the smock reminds me of Little House on the Prairie.

My daughter loves for me to sew clothing for her, especially skirts. I love to purchase women’s skirts, at garage sales/thrift stores, and cut them down to her size. The style that works best is the tiered skirt. I usually remove one tier and remake the waistband.

Being able to sew can really save money as well as adding variety to your wardrobe,

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Photography

Photography is an important part of life at my house. Photos that appear here are taken by Giles, by the Composer, and by me. Giles is a real, paid photographer, and he uses a Sony Alpha. Most of the photography prior to September 2008 is his. Since then I have done most of the shooting and I use a Konica Minolta. Additionally, the Composer offers me nice shots on occasion, often from his little Canon point and shoot. I've given up trying to note who's done what. Thanks for your interest!